UNION, NJ — Ask him about any one of the hundreds of Christmas decorations carefully placed on his lawn, located on Braun Terrace in Union, and Royce Duran has a story for how it got there.
Duran and his wife, Naomi, bought that reindeer more than 20 years ago, he says, back when they lived in nearby Summit. He rescued this wireframe angel from somebody’s garbage heap about 15 years ago. And Olaf?
The popular snowman from “Frozen” is one of his newest additions.
“I got that one last year,” said Duran.
It takes the Duran family more than a week to set up the extensive Christmas display, flush with lights, wreaths, ribbons, wireframe statues, hymn-humming figures, massive inflatables and more, all overflowing from the lawn to the driveway and into the backyard.
Turning their home into a source of holiday cheer is a tradition that the Durans have embraced, each year, since moving to Union about 15 years ago, according to Duran.
But the display of holiday spirit has become especially popular this fall, as a steady stream of nighttime visitors come to snap photos, take in the scene and sing along to Christmas carols.
And during this time of year, parking in the garage or driveway is out of the question for Duran. Three inflatable decorations, which Duran fills with air after he turns on the Christmas lights at dusk, occupy that space.
Other decorations at Duran’s house include a singing Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, who can perform in English and Spanish; families of holiday piglets, flamingos and other animals; a nativity scene; Sesame Street characters wearing Santa hats; and caroling snowmen.